That got me thinking. All those things are MAJOR smile-makers in my world. But what else is there?

First, Mama Kat forgot to mention another big one…CHOCOLATE! {In any form. Even when I have to sneak it while the toddler naps.}

Other thoughts that came to my mind include: Catching up with an old friend. Having a meal with girlfriends. Wandering around a store for as long as I want. The smell of fresh-cut grass and sheets that are fresh out of the dryer. Snagging a great deal. Waking up refreshed. Taking a walk. Having an open weekend with no plans. Spontaneous adventures. Taking photos. Antiquing and garage saling. Taking the scenic route instead of the expressway. A clean house. Coming home to dinner made. Freshly painted nails. Beautiful sunsets. Feeling the sun on me while at the lake.

Following up on last week’s prompt about things I haven’t done, Mama Kat asked us to list 22 things we have done. These aren’t all things I’m especially proud of, but for the sake of entertaining you, I’m just being honest. I’m sure when Little K is old enough to understand all this she might have some giggles.

I have…

1. Crowd-surfed.

2. Visited Europe.

3. Been an audience member for The Price Is Right.

4. Was a cheerleader 7th-10th grade. {Quit to be in the spring musical.}

Don't judge...

5. Shot a bow and arrow {extremely hard…if you can shoot and kill an animal with that thing, you deserve to eat it}.

Even though my little 10-month old munchkin can’t verbally tell me things, she teaches me something about myself each day. She’s my sidekick and already my best friend. I can’t wait to learn more valuable (and maybe not-so-valuable!) lessons from her down the road. Here are 10 lessons she has shown me, complete with fun photos.

Surprisingly, I remember having “the talk” well. Maybe because I was the one guiding the conversation…

We had just eaten dinner and my mom was washing dishes in front of our garden window. My brothers had left the room to play Nintendo and I knew I had a good window to speak with her alone.

Anxiety filled my stomach with butterflies as I climbed the chair to sit on our oak dining table. I had immense guilt for knowing what sex was…the kids at school had whispered and told me about it and the jig was up – I knew, for the most part, how I became a baby in my mother’s belly.

I was 7 years old. I took a deep breath and decided to come clean; after all, I knew I wanted to avoid the future awkward conversation.

“Mom, I know what sex is,” I blurted out. “So we don’t have to have the talk. Like, ever.”

I’m pretty sure I caught her off-guard. She put down the dish she was scrubbing and turned to me, resting the towel on her shoulder.

“Oh yeah? Well, what is it then?” she asked.

I took a deep breath before imparting my incredible knowledge. “When a man and a woman love each other they get naked and hump. Then, 9 months later, a baby is born.”

“Well, that’s right for the most part,” she said. “I’m glad you know. You’re too little to know anything more, so we’ll revisit this a few years down the road,” she said.

That response seemed to appease me. I felt so embarrassed as it is to know what I knew.

A few weeks later, my mom came home with some books from the library showing illustrations of where babies came from and the reproductive parts that go with the process.

I was horrified, but relieved at the same time, to finally see the truth. I thumbed through the pages, and it slowly clicked.

My mom left me alone with the books. But after awhile, she stopped by the couch where I was looking at the books and said one thing: “Sex only should happen when you’re married to a man you love.”

We never discussed sex again….that is, until college…

This was written for Mama Kat‘s Writing Workshop. I chose prompt 4 asking to describe your sex education experience.

1. Don’t be the neighbor with five of those “gazing balls” on your property. They really aren’t cool, and what the heck do they do exactly? One is plenty.

2. Don’t, under any circumstance, wear socks with sandals. It’s never OK.

3. If you’re a younger male, don’t ever wear jean shorts. Something about them just looks goofy. Opt for khakis or cargos instead, please. And on that note, capris for males are never OK either.

4. Don’t be pregnant in the summer. I was last year and it was tough. My ankles swelled like mad due to heat and I really, really missed (and craved!) fun frozen adult beverages. (I know, kind of impossible to predict, but avoid if you can!)

5. Don’t forget to mow your lawn. Being the jerk neighbor, like mine below, is not acceptable when our property value is not what it was 3 years ago.

Don't do this to your own neighbors. *This was discreetly taken in my own neighborhood.*

7. Don’t ever go braless in a tank top when you are anything more than an A-cup.

8. Don’t ever wear a thong or speedo bathing suit. Nobody wants to see your buns or package when trying to enjoy a sunny day at the beach.

9. Don’t wear casual clothes to summer weddings. Jean anything is NOT OK at weddings. Have a little respect for the bride and groom! And on that note, don’t get so drunk that you accidentally walk into the wrong bathroom (I’ve witnessed this on a few occasions).

10. Most important message – don’t forget to wear sunscreen. If you have a few minutes, watch this amazing PSA, “Dear 16-year-old Me,” by the David Cornfield Melanoma Fund of Canada to learn more. If I could only go back in time when I was 16, I would have never just ignored sunscreen like I did.

I once wrote a sad post about my grandma. She suffers from dementia and it’s awful to witness.

But as sad as that is, I am blessed to have another living grandma, my mom’s mother, who is still alive. And well. Like, reallllly well.

I chose Mama Kat’s prompt to write 10 things about one of my favorite people and I chose Esther, my 93 (almost 94!) year old grandma. She just might be one of the most fun people I’ve ever encountered. Here’s some reasons why she’s so fab:

She’s so grateful for everything. I remember sitting in McDonald’s with her once and she got teary-eyed. Why? Because she had a moment of thanks and felt so elated about being with family. We giggled about it over our cheeseburgers, but looking back, it kind of tears me up too! She makes you appreciate the little moments.

She epitomizes the idea that money doesn’t buy happiness. She’s never had much money. She jokes she has champagne taste on a beer budget. Yet, she’s never wanted expensive things. She’s just happy to have her health and be surrounded by family and friends.

I’m guessing I get my glass is half-full attitude from her and for that, I am grateful. It’s genetic, don’t you know?

She understands that life is too short to not dance. She loves to line dance, square dance and get down at weddings. You hear a song playing, and Esther is up moving.

She talks to EVERYONE. A trip to the grocery store takes her several hours because she talks to every person she encounters. And every person typically walks away with a smile.

She never thinks it’s too early for a chocolate martini or a B-52 (yes, it’s a drink, and it’s great). Life’s to be celebrated at anytime of day, right?! (For the record, she doesn’t drink much, but it’s a riot when she does.)

She wakes up every day with a smile on her face. This world would be a happier place if we all had that morning routine.

She’s the kind of grandma that is involved. Even in her 90’s, she still gets in the pool and does things she probably shouldn’t really be doing.

And on that note, she’s still driving. Maybe not a good idea for the safety of others on the road, but I can’t say I blame her for wanting to keep her license. It gives her freedom.

She’s such a character. There’s just nobody quite like her on the planet, I’m convinced. I hope I’m still having that much fun when I’m 94!

Before my days at my first steady job, I babysat a lot of neighborhood munchkins. Each weekend babysitting job between the ages of 12 and 15, I’d spend a little of my hard earned money and save a little. I was saving up for one thing I dreamt about since turning 12: my first car.

I secretly hoped when I turned 16, my parents would surprise me with the ’94 yellow Ford Mustang (with black leather interior and a spoiler) I’d been eyeing for what seemed like my entire life.

Instead, on my 16th b-day, I got a toy model of a yellow Mustang. How cruel.

Regardless, I was determined to get my own set of wheels, so as soon as I got my license, I scoured the local classifieds until I spotted something I could afford. After a couple test-drives, I found what would soon become my most prized possession: a white 1991 Buick Regal. The year was 2000, so I thought I was getting a steal on a car that wasn’t quite 10 years old.

I’m sure it was the car of its day, complete with leather seats, a tape player, a digital speedometer and plenty of room for friends. I had worked hard to pay for it, but didn’t even think twice when I shelled out the $1,200 because it paid for something that was priceless at the time: FREEDOM from the parental units.

I quickly decorated the car to reflect my quirky 16-year-old style: I had cow-inspired seat covers, a smiley face dangling from my rearview mirror and countless vending machine stickers lining the inside of my car. I’m sure I thought I was the coolest chick on the road.

It wasn’t long after getting the car that things started going wrong. The heat stopped working. The air didn’t ever work. The door sometimes got stuck and one of the power windows didn’t go down. Out of frustration, I started calling the car Mussolini.

I drove Mussolini for nearly 2 years, until one day he sighed his last breath in a scary grand finale.

The engine frame attached to the bottom of the car snapped, which made me loose my power steering and sent me gliding across opposing traffic on the busiest road of my hometown (Grand River!!!! to those in the know). Thankfully, traffic was coming slow due to a light, but my near 18 years on the planet definitely flashed before my eyes.

I walked, crying my eyes out in defeat, to a nearby Arby’s to call my mom and the police from a pay phone (only the cool kids had cell phones at that time). A nice police officer drove me home as they towed Mussolini off for good. I let the cow seat covers go with him since it felt only right. It was the end of an era.

Although it really was just a piece of junk, I look back on that first car with many fond memories. It not only represents my first taste of freedom, but also brings to mind so many other firsts: kisses with boys, nights out with my girlfriends, driving to concerts and hanging out in the parking lot after school.

I’d love to hear from you – what was your first car?

This was written in conjunction with Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop. I chose prompt #3 about my first car.

I have something from my past that many people would never want to admit: My first “real” job was at Walmart, and I worked there for more than two years during high school.

I know most people see it as the most evil place on earth. Well, I beg to differ. I had friends that worked there, I knew I could get lots of hours, I made a couple bucks more than minimum wage and $1 extra on Sundays. And at that time in my life, it was a great first job.

Before you get all hoighty toighty and stop following me, hear me out. I also learned a lot about myself during my time there. I worked with fabulous people — yes, there was some trash, but also some amazing people, too.

Here are 10 lessons I learned during my time under the blue top:

1. First impressions can last.

Occasionally I had to fill in for the door greeter while they went on breaks. It’s a very boring job – especially for a busybody like myself. I know not all door greeters are the most friendly, but if they are, make a little small talk. It’ll make them smile and you will walk away knowing you helped to make their shift go by a little bit faster.

2. Childbirth is painful.

I worked with an 18-year-old single mom who told me the real story of childbirth, sparing no gory details. That scared me out of having sex for a long time. I definitely thought of her while I experienced childbirth myself and now I can totally see where she was coming from.

3. Set a goal when saving money.

I worked my tail off for Walmart so I could pay for gas for my baby — my first car, save for college and go to Europe. By working hard and saving like mad, I was able to go to Europe and pay for my first two years of college tuition (with the help of a few scholarships). I worked 40 hours a week in the summer, and as many as they would allow during the school week. It taught me a ton about money!

4. A college degree gives you a head start in life.

Nearly everyone I worked with stressed the importance of college to me — they encouraged me to go, and were proud when I got accepted. Many had major struggles in their life – taking care of children, siblings and parents and carried financial burdens because of it. Many mentioned regretting not ever being able to go to college.

5. Be nice to the crazy couponers.

Some cashiers would moan at the sight of a lady with a bazillion coupons or ads to price match. I thought it was really refreshing to see people trying to save money. I like to think that might have been my inspiration behind becoming a couponer myself. I’d also like to note if you are a crazy coupon person, go to a young employee – they aren’t quite as jaded…and they’re faster!

6. Something is wrong with food pricing.

It really upset me to see nothing but junk food come through and then a swipe of the food stamps card. I have zero problem with people that need food stamps, but I do have an issue with not even trying to buy healthy stuff. I think our government needs to take a clue and aim to educate and perhaps even lower prices/give discounts on produce and fresh items for low-income folks.

7. Never shop at Walmart past 10 p.m.

This might be an obvious one, but it’s true. A lot of strange people start coming in at that time. Shop at your own risk.

8. People can be really mean for no apparent reason.

I answered phones, worked as a cashier and helped stock/maintain the clothing and infant departments. I remember walking in some mornings to absolute disasters. I’m telling you – folding baby clothing over and over again gets old. Please don’t throw things on the floor when you shop. Please at least try to refold clothing. Don’t hide ice cream in the middle of a clothing rack (true story). Shop with a conscious.

9. Don’t judge a person without loving them first.

OK, that’s a Mother Teresa quote, but working at Walmart proved this to be true wisdom. I met so many wonderful people that I might not of given a chance if I just looked at them and judged them by their appearance.

10. No two personalities are the same.

The diversity of Walmart employees and customers prepared me well for my college years and career in public relations. I’m pretty convinced I owe Walmart for helping me to have patience to work with all sorts of personalities.

Is Walmart the best place to work? No. But reflecting back to those days, I can’t help but be thankful for the interesting life lessons that big blue store taught me.

Are there any great lessons your first job taught you?

This post was written for Mama Kat’s Writing Workshop. I chose prompt #1 about a memorable high school job.

Inspired by fellow bloggers who write amazing posts (*cough Mommy Is In Timeout cough*), I decided to check out this Mama Kat’s Writer’s Workshop button I’ve been seeing. Pretty neat stuff. Each week I will receive a list of writing prompts, and I will decided if any of them are worth developing a post around. One of the topics this week is to take a photowalk to highlight what spring looks like in your neighborhood. Since my blog is Mrs. Weber’s Neighborhood, I decided it was a pretty darn good fit. Plus, a great excuse to get Little K and I outside for some much needed Vitamin D!

Here are the photos I captured with my point and shoot during our lovely walk around our sub in the ‘burbs of Detroit. Thankfully, spring is slowly starting to show her face around these parts. And if it’s true and April showers really do bring May flowers, we should be seeing some extreme beauty real soon (here’s hoping at least!).